Receptacle for severing and retaining the needle tip of a hypodermic syringe

Abstract

A receptacle for severing and retaining the needle tip of a hypodermic syringe includes a highly compact outer housing, which is shaped to define a substantially enclosed interior cavity, and a knife blade fixedly mounted within the interior cavity. The outer housing includes a flattened base and a hollow, hemicylindrical cover that are permanently secured together. In operation, the needle tip of a used syringe is inserted through coaligned, tear-shaped openings formed in both the cover and the knife blade. Through manipulation of the hypodermic syringe, the needle tip is drawn into contact with a sharpened, beveled edge that immediately defines the opening in the knife blade. Through the application of sufficient force against the sharpened edge, the needle tip is severed from the remainder of the syringe and thereby remains safely and securely retained within the interior cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A receptacle for severing and retaining the needle tip of a hypodermic syringe, the receptacle comprising:
 (a) an outer housing shaped to define an interior cavity; and   (b) a knife blade mounted within the interior cavity of the outer housing;   (c) wherein the knife blade is adapted to fragment the hypodermic syringe into a severed needle tip and a tip-less syringe, the severed needle tip being retained securely within the interior cavity of the outer housing.   
     
     
         2 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the outer housing is shaped to define an opening in communication with the interior cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the opening in the outer housing is adapted to receive the needle tip of the hypodermic syringe. 
     
     
         4 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the outer housing comprises:
 (a) a base; and 
 (b) a cover mounted onto the base, the cover and the base together defining the interior cavity of the outer housing. 
 
     
     
         5 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the cover and the base are permanently secured together. 
     
     
         6 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the cover and the base are permanently secured together by at least one of the group consisting of ultrasonic welding, adhesive bonding, and snap-fit interconnection. 
     
     
         7 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the base comprises at least one boss for facilitating proper alignment of the cover onto the base. 
     
     
         8 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the housing is shaped to define a slot which is dimensioned to fittingly receive the knife blade. 
     
     
         9 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the knife blade is shaped to define an opening which is adapted to receive the needle tip of the hypodermic syringe. 
     
     
         10 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the knife blade comprises a sharpened edge which immediately defines the opening in the knife blade. 
     
     
         11 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the opening in the knife blade and the opening in the housing have similar dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 11  wherein, with the receptacle in its assembled state, the opening in the knife blade directly aligns with the opening in the outer housing. 
     
     
         13 . The receptacle as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the knife blade comprises a flat metal plate which is shaped to define the opening in the knife blade. 
     
     
         14 . A method for severing and retaining the needle tip of a hypodermic syringe, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a receptacle comprising an outer housing shaped to define an interior cavity and a knife blade mounted within the interior cavity of the outer housing, each of the outer housing and the knife blade being shaped to define an opening in communication with the interior cavity, the opening in the knife blade being immediately defined by a sharpened edge;   (b) inserting the needle tip of the hypodermic syringe through the opening in the outer housing, through the opening in the knife blade, and into the interior cavity; and   (c) manipulating the hypodermic syringe into contact with the sharpened edge in the knife blade so as to fragment the hypodermic syringe into a severed needle tip and a tip-less syringe, with the severed needle tip remaining inside the interior cavity in the outer housing.   
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising the step of removing the tip-less syringe from the receptacle. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the outer housing comprises:
 (c) a base; and 
 (d) a cover mounted onto the base, the cover and the base together defining the interior cavity of the outer housing. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the cover and the base are permanently secured together. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the cover and the base are permanently secured together by at least one of the group consisting of ultrasonic welding, adhesive bonding, and snap-fit interconnection.